Convert SB3 to EXE

Windows kiosks, classroom PCs, and game-download sites may require a launchable .exe instead of a Scratch project file. Packaging an .sb3 project creates a Windows application that can run without installing the Scratch editor.

What an SB3 file contains

.sb3 is the Scratch 3 project format used by the Scratch website and Scratch Desktop. It is a ZIP-based archive containing project.json, sprites, costumes, sounds, and other project assets.

An SB3 file is intended for editing, uploading, and sharing through Scratch-compatible editors. Renaming it to .exe, or placing it in a self-extracting archive, does not make the project runnable as a Windows application.

What an EXE file provides

.exe is the standard Windows executable format. A Scratch project packaged as an EXE includes a compatible player runtime and the project data, usually in an application folder or ZIP download containing the executable and its support files.

The result is not a conventional native program compiled from Scratch blocks. It is a Scratch-compatible runtime configured to open the included project, so its file size is substantially larger than the original .sb3.

Package an SB3 project for Windows

TurboWarp Packager is the most practical option for standard Scratch 3 projects. Its official web-based packager can generate Windows builds; generic file-conversion sites cannot correctly convert an SB3 archive into an executable.

1. In Scratch, save the project locally with File → Save to your computer. Keep the original .sb3 file as the editable source.
2. Open the official TurboWarp Packager at packager.turbowarp.org in a current desktop browser.
3. Load the .sb3 file as the project input.
4. Set the application title, window dimensions, icon, fullscreen behavior, and other required runtime options.
5. Select the Windows packaging target and the processor architecture required by the target PCs. Use a 64-bit build for normal current Windows systems; create a 32-bit build only if the intended computers require it and the packager offers that target.
6. Select Package, then save the generated download.
7. If the download is a ZIP archive, extract it completely before running the included .exe. Keep all extracted files and folders together, because the executable may depend on bundled runtime resources.

TurboWarp Packager is an online packaging tool, so no separate converter installation is normally needed. Scratch Desktop and the Scratch website can save and run SB3 projects, but neither provides a direct Windows EXE export. For offline or controlled deployment, create the package on a trusted computer, then distribute the generated ZIP or extracted application folder.

Compatibility and deployment limits

Test the package on a Windows computer that does not have Scratch installed. Verify keyboard and mouse input, audio, fullscreen mode, display scaling, file access prompts, camera or microphone permissions, and any extensions used by the project.

Scratch website services are not automatically available in a packaged build. Features tied to Scratch accounts, project pages, comments, remixing, and the Scratch cloud-variable service should not be expected to work as they do on the Scratch website. Projects that require online services need separate testing and, where applicable, a compatible custom server configuration.

Standard projects generally package well, but browser-dependent or third-party extensions can behave differently. Hardware integrations, webcam/video sensing, text-to-speech, network extensions, and custom extensions should be tested on the exact Windows version and hardware used for distribution.

Windows may show SmartScreen or antivirus warnings for unsigned EXE files, particularly after Internet downloads. Code-signing the final Windows build with an organization-controlled certificate can reduce reputation warnings, but recipients should still receive the file from a verified source. Do not instruct users to disable Windows security protections to run an unverified package.

A Windows EXE will not run natively on macOS, ChromeOS, Android, iOS, or most Linux systems. TurboWarp Packager can produce other platform targets where supported, but each target must be packaged and tested separately.